Livestock trade during the Roman period: first clues from the trading post of Empúries (Catalonia)

Written sources show that livestock were traded during the Roman period. However, there is scarce information available to characterise this trade due to its invisibility in the archaeological record. In our paper, we shed light on this issue by applying both osteometric and genetic analyses on cattle remains from the Roman trading post of Empúries (Catalonia) to determine how livestock contributed to Roman trade and, thus, to the economy of the Empire. Analysis of twenty-six cattle metacarpals from Empúries has allowed us to document the presence of different cattle morphotypes in this city during its Early Roman occupation. The morphological and genetic differences seen in Empúries cattle can be explained though trade of different cattle varieties, more appropriate for milk production and/or traction than the local stock. Once arrived at the port of Empúries, these imported cattle would have then been distributed to surrounding villas

Mixed optimization of power transmission structures: An application of the simulated annealing algorithm

En el presente artículo se expone una metodología que encara una optimización general del peso de las estructuras de transporte de energía. Esta metodología se basa en la algorítmica del recocido simulado enunciada por Kirkpatrick a principios de los años ochenta, que consiste en un proceso estocástico de pruebas basado en la analogía con el recocido de los metales. El método enunciado por Kirkpatrick permite adoptar soluciones que puedan empeorar la función objetivo, con la finalidad de mejorar la exploración del entorno factible y posibilitar una mejora final de la solución obtenida. El algoritmo propuesto compatibiliza la naturaleza discreta de las secciones de las barras con la naturaleza continua de las variables que definen la geometría y la forma global de la estructura. Así se desarrolla una metodología capaz de obtener la solución a un problema de optimización mixto, evitando, a la vez, posibles explosiones combinatorias derivadas del proceso estocástico. Por otra parte, también se ha complementado el algoritmo de Kirkpatrick con un análisis de sensibilidad de primer orden que proporciona un considerable ahorro en el coste computacional del método y se implementan funciones de penalización exterior para mejorar el tratamiento de las restricciones del diseño. Con todo ello se consigue una metodología general que permite la optimización de estructuras reales de transporte de energía en tiempos de computación asumibles.A general methodology to optimize the weight of power transmission structures is presented in this article. This methodology is based on the simulated annealing algorithm defined by Kirkpatrick in the early ‘80s. This algorithm consists of a stochastic approach that allows to explore and analyze solutions that do not improve the objective function in order to develop a better exploration of the design region and to obtain the global optimum. The proposed algorithm allows to consider the discrete behavior of the sectional variables for each element and the continuous behavior of the general geometry variables. Thus, an optimization methodology that can deal with a mixed optimization problem and includes both continuum and discrete design variables is developed. In addition, it does not require to study all the possible design combinations defined by discrete design variables. The algorithm proposed usually requires to develop a large number of simulations (structural analysis in this case) in practical applications. Thus, the authors have developed first order Taylor expansions and the first order sensitivity analysis involved in order to reduce the CPU time required. Exterior penalty functions have been also included to deal with the design constraints. Thus, the general methodology proposed allows to optimize real power transmission structures in acceptable CPU time.Peer Reviewe

Chelating properties of tripeptide-9 citrulline

Tripeptide-9 Citrulline (INCI name) is a peptide with skin care properties, used for cosmetic applications. In order to elucidate its mechanism of action in the chemical pathways that involve metal ions, its ability to complex such ions was investigated using spectrophotometrical, electrochemical and electrophoretical techniques. The obtained results using Cu(II) as metal ion were consistent with the formation of a complex between Tripeptide-9 Citrulline andCu(II). Cyclic voltammetry revealed a significant changein the electrochemical potentials. In-vitro electrophoretic studies served as a proof of concept that Tripeptide-9 Citrullinemay protect DNA from radical degradation induced by the Fenton reaction

Short-course versus long-course therapy of the same antibiotic for community-acquired pneumonia in adolescent and adult outpatients.

Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a lung infection that can be acquired during day-to-day activities in the community (not while receiving care in a hospital). Community-acquired pneumonia poses a significant public health burden in terms of mortality, morbidity, and costs. Shorter antibiotic courses for CAP may limit treatment costs and adverse effects, but the optimal duration of antibiotic treatment is uncertain. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-course versus longer-course treatment with the same antibiotic at the same daily dosage for CAP in non-hospitalised adolescents and adults (outpatients). We planned to investigate non-inferiority of short-course versus longerterm course treatment for efficacy outcomes, and superiority of short-course treatment for safety outcomes. Search methods We searched CENTRAL, which contains the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group Specialised Register,MEDLINE, Embase, five other databases, and three trials registers on 28 September 2017 together with conference proceedings, reference checking, and contact with experts and pharmaceutical companies.SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing short- and long-courses of the same antibiotic for CAP in adolescent and adult outpatients. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We planned to use standard Cochrane methods. MAIN RESULTS: Our searches identified 5260 records. We did not identify any RCTs that compared short- and longer-courses of the same antibiotic for the treatment of adolescents and adult outpatients with CAP.We excluded two RCTs that compared short courses (five compared to seven days) of the same antibiotic at the same daily dose because they evaluated antibiotics (gemifloxacin and telithromycin) not commonly used in practice for the treatment of CAP. In particular, gemifloxacin is no longer approved for the treatment of mild-to-moderate CAP due to its questionable risk-benefit balance, and reported adverse effects. Moreover, the safety profile of telithromycin is also cause for concern.We found one ongoing study that we will assess for inclusion in future updates of the review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no eligible RCTs that studied a short-course of antibiotic compared to a longer-course (with the same antibiotic at the same daily dosage) for CAP in adolescent and adult outpatients. The effects of antibiotic therapy duration for CAP in adolescent and adult outpatients remains unclear.pre-print547 K

A minimum weight formulation with stress constraints in topology optimization of structures

El diseño óptimo de estructuras ha estado tradicionalmente orientado a la resolución de problemas de optimización de formas y dimensiones. Sin embargo, más recientemente ha surgido otra rama de investigación que propone modelos que proporcionan soluciones estructurales óptimas y que no requieren la definición previa de la tipología estructural: la optimización topológica de estructuras. Estas formulaciones proporcionan tanto la tipología estructural como la forma y dimensiones óptimas. Las formulaciones más habituales de estos planteamientos pretenden obtener una solución que maximice la rigidez de la estructura dadas unas limitaciones en la cantidad de material a utilizar. Estas formulaciones han sido ampliamente analizadas y utilizadas en la práctica pero presentan inconvenientes muy importantes tanto desde un punto de vista numérico como práctico. En este artículo se propone una formulación diferente a la de máxima rigidez para el problema de optimización topológica de estructuras que minimiza el peso e incorpora restricciones en tensión. Las ventajas de este tipo de planteamientos son muy importantes dado que se minimiza el coste de la solución, que es la situación más habitual en ingeniería, y además se garantiza la validez estructural de la misma. Además esta formulación permite evitar algunos de los problemas e inestabilidades numéricas que presentan las formulaciones de máxima rigidez. Finalmente, se resuelven algunos ejemplos prácticos para comprobar la validez de los resultados y las ventajas que ofrece la formulación propuesta.Optimum design of structures has been traditionally focused on the analysis of shape and dimensions optimization problems. However, more recently a new discipline has emerged: the topology optimization of the structures. This discipline states innovative models that allow to obtain optimal solutions without a previous definition of the type of structure being considered. These formulations obtain the optimal topology and the optimal shape and size of the resulting elements. The most usual formulations of the topology optimization problem try to obtain the structure of maximum stiffness. These approaches maximize the stiffness for a given amount of material to be used. These formulations have been widely analyzed and applied in engineering but they present considerable drawbacks from a numerical and from a practical point of view. In this paper the author propose a different formulation, as an alternative to maximum stiffness approaches, that minimizes the weight and includes stress constraints. The advantages of this kind of formulations are crucial since the cost of the structure is minimized, which is the most frequent objective in engineering, and they guarantee the structural feasibility since stresses are constrained. In addition, this approach allows to avoid some of the drawbacks and numerical instabilities related to maximum stiffness approaches. Finally, some practical examples have been solved in order to verify the validity of the results obtained and the advantages of the proposed formulation.Peer Reviewe

Procesamiento, análisis y modelado de señales biomédicas: un enfoque integrador

Este proyecto se centra en el estudio, desarrollo y aplicación de técnicas de procesamiento, modelado y análisis de señales que permitan abordar los casos de señales biomédicas. Abordaremos métodos adaptativos de análisis de señales, principalmente la descomposición empírica en modos y sus variantes. Se avanzará en el desarrollo de modelos de las señales relacionadas con el aparato fonador. Se continuará el estudio de modelos en espacio de estados que permiten extraer información sobre el estado instantáneo del tracto vocal y de la fuente glótica. Se estudiará la factibilidad de extraer nuevos parámetros acústicos de utilidad clínica. Investigaremos técnicas y herramientas provenientes de la teoría de la información estudiando medidas basadas en la integral de correlación asistida por ruido y la integral de correlación U, propuestas por nuestro grupo, para la estimación de los invariantes dimensión, entropía y ruido, en sistemas simulados y reales de variadas dimensiones. Finalmente, se continuará con la formación de recursos humanos, a través de la realización de becas postdoctorales y doctorales CONICET, y el fortalecimiento de un grupo de investigación en el área de las TICs en el procesamiento de señales biomédicas, en el contexto del Instituto de Bioinformática y Bioingeniería en vías de creación. ARK/CAICYT: http://id.caicyt.gov.ar/ark:/s22504559/rd18ww2h

Paediatric non-progression following grandmother-to-child HIV transmission

Background In contrast to adult HIV infection, where slow disease progression is strongly linked to immune control of HIV mediated by protective HLA class I molecules such as HLA-B*81:01, the mechanisms by which a minority of HIV-infected children maintain normal-for-age CD4 counts and remain clinically healthy appear to be HLA class I-independent and are largely unknown. To better understand these mechanisms, we here studied a HIV-infected South African female, who remained a non-progressor throughout childhood. Results Phylogenetic analysis of viral sequences in the HIV-infected family members, together with the history of grand-maternal breast-feeding, indicated that, unusually, the non-progressor child had been infected via grandmother-to-child transmission. Although HLA-B*81:01 was expressed by both grandmother and grand-daughter, autologous virus in each subject encoded an escape mutation L188F within the immunodominant HLA-B*81:01-restricted Gag-specific epitope TL9 (TPQDLNTML, Gag 180–188). Since the transmitted virus can influence paediatric and adult HIV disease progression, we investigated the impact of the L188F mutant on replicative capacity. When this variant was introduced into three distinct HIV clones in vitro, viral replicative capacity was abrogated altogether. However, a virus constructed using the gag sequence of the non-progressor child replicated as efficiently as wildtype virus. Conclusion These findings suggest alternative sequences of events: the transmission of the uncompensated low fitness L188F to both children, potentially contributing to slow progression in both, consistent with previous studies indicating that disease progression in children can be influenced by the replicative capacity of the transmitted virus; or the transmission of fully compensated virus, and slow progression here principally the result of HLA-independent host-specific factors, yet to be defined

Structure of a Novel Shoulder-to-Shoulder p24 Dimer in Complex with the Broad-Spectrum Antibody A10F9 and Its Implication in Capsid Assembly

10.1371/journal.pone.0061314PLoS ONE84